In summer vacations I went to Jeju island. Jeju is the biggest island of South Korea and is also a self governing province. The best season to visit the Jeju island is considered to be the summer season in the months of July and August. So my timing was perfect but during this season everything is more expensive because the tourists from all over the Korea come to Jeju.
Through the Global Freeloaders website I was able to find a place free of cost to live in the Jeju. There are other websites also available to request a free accomodation like Hospitality Club and Couch Surfing. My host was Richard in Jeju. He is an American teaching English on the island and has a flat in one of the apartments in Jeju city near the Airport. I used to cook my own food and he was kind enough to allow me to use his scooter to visit around the places. Without his help this visit would not be possible for me. Thanks Rich.
Photo: Richard's Scooter
The weather of Jeju is very capricious and everything can happen from scorching sunlight to rain storm within minutes. Strong winds blow on the island and the extinct volcano Mount Hallasan control the weather of the island.
I left the Gwangju on the morning of Aug 04, 2007 and returned back on the evening of Aug 09. The details of my trip are as follows:
Day 1: Aug 04, 2007
Last night I completed my packing and slept early. In the morning I woke up early and took my breakfast. After that I took a bus from GIST to Gwangju bus terminal. I purchased a direct bus ticket to Wando for 13200 won and waited for half an hour for the bus. The bus leaves every half an hour from the Gwangju bus terminal and reaches Wando in 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Photo: Gwangju to Wando bus ticket
Around 2 PM i was in Wando. I took a taxi from the wando bus terminal to Wando ferry terminal which costs 2000 won. I bought a ticket for ferry which costs 21650 won. The ferry leaves at 3:30 PM. The weather was pretty nice and I enjoyed the ferry ride. Most of the time I was on the deck and looking into the sea for small islands and ships.
Photo: Wando to Jeju Ferry "Hanil Express"
After three hours of beautiful journey ferry was at the Jeju port. Distance between Wando and Jeju is around 65 km but the speed of the ferry is around 20 km/hr I guess thats why it takes 3 hours. On the ferry the first floor is for the cars and second and third floors are for passenger rooms, rest room, tuck shop, information desk and Lobby. At 6:30 I got off the ferry at Jeju port and took a taxi to the Richard's Apartment for 9000 won.
Photo: Passengers getting off at Jeju Ferry terminal
I met Richard and he showed me his apartment and we went to the top of the 11 storey apartment building to have a view of the island. The island contains concentrated population in the Jeju city area and the other places are much calm and contain cultivated lands and green hills and Mount Halla. In the night thousands of squid catching boats dotted all the sea around the island with their bright light to attract the squids. Richard told me that he had a plan to go pick the psychedelic mushrooms in the mountain with his friend and we went together. Although we did not find any mushrooms but what we saw was spectacular. We saw some deers in the wild and tried to take their pictures. But the pictures were not very good as the night was too dark and the camera flash could not illuminate the whole place. But in some pictures we captures glowing eyes of the deers.
After that we went to the mysterious road. The things roll uphill on this road.
Photo: Football rolling uphill on the mysterious road
Day 2: Aug 05, 2007
Close to the Apartments there are two marts to buy the food and other stuff. I went there in the morning and purchased milk, mango juice, tuna fish, eggs, soap, tommatoes, onions, rice, bread etc. and did my breakfast. I had purchased enough food for 4 days for 25000 won. Richard and I went to the Gwakji beach in the morning. The sea was pretty turbulent due to a storm hit the Japan but it was a good experience. Gwakji is a nice beach with white sand. There is a fresh water bath on the beach. I took some swimming lessons from Richard and did some snorkling.
Photo: Gwakji Beach
In the evening we came back and were hit by a rain storm. After getting back to Appartment I prepared my dinner and slept.
Day 3: Aug 06, 2007
Richard had to go to his job so I was alone to visit around. I went to Soingook/Miniature theme park. Entrance ticket costs 6000 won. It contains many sclaed models and is a nice place to visit.
Photo: Taj Mahal Model in Soingook/Miniature Theme Park
After that I went to Jungmun area and visited teddy bear musem. Entrance ticket costs 6000 won.
Photo: Teddy mimics Mahatama Gandhi
Photo: Teddy for sale
After that did a quick visit of the Jungmun area seeing ICC Jeju, Africa Museum and Yakcheonsa temple from outside.
Photo: Windmill in Jungmun Area
Photo: Jungmun Area Seaside
Photo: International Convention Centre (ICC), Jeju
Photo: Africa Museum
Photo: Yakcheonsa Temple
In the night I returned back and was hit by a rain storm.
Day 4: Aug 07, 2007
Decided to go towards the East of the island and visited some temples in Samyang Area. These temples are located on a small hill.
Photo: Temple in Samyang
A track leads up to the top of the hill. The Jeju city view from the top of the hill is very beautiful. On one side you can see the city life, on the other side you can see the cultivated and green area and on the temples side you can see the ships in the sea. Very nice view.
Photo: Jeju city view from the top of a hill in Samyang Area
Photo: Jeju island Greenery
Photo: Jeju Seaside view from a hill in Samyang Area
After that I went to Samyang beach. The beach has black sand and looks dirty because of it. The attendance at this beach was very low.
Photo: Samyang Beach
Further east is the Manjangul Lava Tube cave. The entrance to the cave costs 2000 won. The cave is very big and very cold from inside. The inside temperature of the cave is around 15 celcius while the outside temperature was around 28 celcius. The water was dripping at many places from the ceiling of the cave.
Photo: Manjanggul Lava Tube cave
While coming back from the cave I stopped at Gimnyeong and Hamdeok beach. Hamdeok beach had the second highest attendance level.
Photo: Gimnyeong beach
Photo: Hamdeok beach
Day 5: Aug 08, 2007
Biyangdo island is a small island located in the north west of the Jeju island. The ferry for Biyangdo leaves at Hallim port at 1200 noon and takes 10 minutes to reach Biyangdo. I went there in time and purchased a return ticket of ferry for 3000 won. The island is small and the circumference is less than 3 km. But its very beautiful. There is a track around the island. On one side of the track is the Mountain and on the other side is the sea shore full of black rocks. The ferry to go back to Jeju comes around 3 PM.
Photo: Ferry to Biyangdo Island
Photo: Biyangdo Island
Photo: Biyangdo Island Track
After that I went to Hyeopjae Beach and did some swimming. The weather was hot today and no rain storm hit today. The beach is the most beautiful among Gwakgi, Samyang, Gimnyeong and Hamdeok beach and the attendance was highest.
Photo: Hyeopjae Beach
After that I went to the last place that I visited in Jeju, Hallim Park. Hallim park contains many sections including botanical garden, hyeopjae cave, ssangyong cave, stone and bonsai garden, folk village, bird garden, water garden and flower garden. The entry ticket is 7000 won for Hallim Park. The park closes at 7 PM.
Photo: Spherical shape cactus in Hallim Park botanical garden
Photo: Hyeopjae Cave in Hallim Park
Photo: Ssangyong Cave in Hallim Park
Photo: A rock in Stone and Bonsai Garden in Hallim Park
Photo: Folk village in Hallim Park
Photo: Ducks in Bird Garden of Hallim Park
Photo: Waterfall and Lotus in the Water Garden, Hallim Park
Photo: Flower in Hallim Park
I came back to the apartment after that. Completed my packing to go back early in the morning. Packing sucks!
Day 6: Aug 09, 2007
Woke up early at 6:40 AM. Richard dropped me at port at 7:40 and I took the Ferry back to Wando. Took a taxi to bus terminal. Took a bus to Gwangju. Took a bus to GIST. Reached the GIST around 3 P.M.
The tour was fun.
